Paraphrase Upon the Books of the Psalms, Book 5 · Psalm 136
The Hundred Thirty Sixth Psalm.
The hundred thirty sixth is the magnifying of Gods continual mercies in the exercise of his power, in the creation of the world, redemption and preservation and advancement of his people; and is one of them which is intitled Hallelujah, (which probably it had in the front, though now it be placed in the close of the former Psalm, both in the Hebrew and Chaldee) and is by the Jews called theforeign † foreign great thanksgiving.
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.
Paraphrase. Let the whole world in a most solemn, humble, devout manner, acknowledg the great bounty and liberality of God, and the continual exercises of his mercy, which is not, nor ever shall be at an end, but is constantly made good unto his servants in all the motions of their lives.
2. O give thanks unto the God of Gods; for his mercy endureth for ever.
3. O give thanks unto the Lord of Lords; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Let them adore, and worship, and praise him with all possible expressions of veneration and admiration, as the onelyonly and supreme Governor of the whole world, infinitely above all the heathen most adored deities, and above the greatest potentates on earth, and withall as a most gracious Father of infinite never-failing mercies toward those that adhere to him.
4. To him who alone doth great wonders; for his mercy endureth for ever.
There is nothing so difficult which he is not able to bring to pass, all nature is subject to his power, as it is not to any other whose essence and power both are finite and limited, and overruled by him, and this power of his most signally exercised for the supporting and assisting of his servants.
5. To him that by wisdome made the heavens; for his mercy endureth for ever.
A work of that power it was by which he at first created the upper part of the world, the body of the heavens and aire; and in the fabrick thereof was infinite wisdome exprest as well as power, yea and infinite mercy also to us men, for whose uses and benefit that stately fabrick was principally designed.
6. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters; for his mercy endureth for ever.
A like act of infinite power and wisdome it was, when the waters covered the face of the earth, and so rendred it unhabitable to us, to prepare vast receptacles for the waters, and thither to conveigh and remove them from the surface of the earth, and so to secure the earth by bounds set to the Ocean, that it shall not be overflowed by it, but remain a peaceable fruitfull safe habitation for us, which is an act of the same infinite constant mercy.
7. To him that made great lights; for his mercy endureth for ever:
8. The sunne to rule by day; for his mercy endureth for ever:
9. The moon and starrs to rule by night; for his mercy endureth for ever.
A like act of his power and wisdome it was, and so also of his infinite mercy and bounty toward us, that he created the sun, moon and starrs, for such excellent benefits of mankind, not only illuminating this lower world of ours, but refreshing and warming, and sending forth various influences into every the meanest creature, by these great instruments managing, and guiding, and preserving, and by propagation continuing all creatures, directing them in all their undertakings, preparing both for work and rest, and providing all things necessary for them.
10. To him that smote Aegypt in their first-born; for his mercy endureth for ever:
11. And brought out Israel from among them; for his mercy endureth for ever:
12. With a strong hand and with a stretched out arme; for his mercy endureth for ever:
13. To him which divided the red sea into parts; for his mercy endureth for ever:
14. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it; for his mercy endureth for ever.
15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the red sea; for his mercy endureth for ever.
But yet more peculiarly hath his power and mercy to us been magnified in rescuing our whole nation out of the slavery and oppressions of Aegypt, and this in a most prodigious manner, multiplying judgments upon the Aegyptians from one degree to another, till at length he destroyed the first-born in every family, upon which they were inforced to let us goe; but then farther interposing for us, by making the red sea recede till our people past through the chanel of it, and then bringing it back again in a full violence upon the armies of the Aegyptians, which pursued us at our departure, and overwhelming and drowning all of them: which was such an heap of prodigies of mercies to us his unworthy people, that no story hath ever exemplified in any other time.
16. To him which led his people through the wilderness; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And after this leading us through the desert for many years together, he miraculously provided necessaries for us, sending us bread from heaven, abundance of delicate food, and water out of a rock of flint, and so gave us continual testimonies of his infinite unexhausted bounty.
17. To him which smote great Kings; for his mercy endureth for ever:
18. And slew famous Kings; for his mercy endureth for ever:
19. Sihon King of the Amorites; for his mercy endureth for ever:
20. And Og the King of Bashan; for his mercy endureth for ever:
21. And gave their land for an heritage; for his mercy endureth for ever:
22. Even an heritage unto Israel his servant; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And then to perfect his mercy, he led us to that land of Canaan which he had promised to give to the posterity of Abraham, and by his sole power and conduct inabled us to conquer and destroy great and eminent Princes with their whole armies, such were Sihon and Og (see Psal. cxxxv. 11, 12. and Num. xxi. 24, &c.) which came out against us, and by these slaughters rooted them out, planting us in their stead, giving us a most fertile Kingdome to possess as our own, for our selves and our posterities. An unparallell'd number and weight of mercies, which ought for ever to be commemorated by us. (And yet for all this, but a weak imperfect shadow and resemblance of the redemption of mankind out of a farre more unsupportable slavery under sin and Satan, which by the gift of his own Son he hath wrought for us.)
23. Who remembred us in our low estate; for his mercy endureth for ever:
24. And hath redeemed us from our enemies; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And though since our coming unto all this plenty, he hath permitted us, upon our provoking sins, to be brought low and oppressed by our enemies; yet hath he not utterly forsaken us, but again returned in mercy to us, and rescued us out of their hands, and restored us wonderfully to our former peace and safety.
25. Who giveth food to all flesh; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Yet neither are his mercies confined and inclosed within so narrow a pale as this of the people of Israel, but it is inlarged to all mankind (even to all living creatures in the world) which as they have from him their original being, so have they their continual support, and a constant supply to all their wants, of what sort soever they are, all that is necessary to their bodies as well as their souls.
26. O give thanks to the God of heaven; for his mercy endureth for ever.
All which, and all the goodness that any man partakes of in this life, is but an efflux from that unexhausted fountain of infinite bounty, descends from the Father of lights, the one Creator and preserver and governor of the world, and so is to be own'd and acknowledged by all, and he to have the thanks and honour and glory of it. O let all men in the world pay him this tribute, and never miss to commemorate his endless mercies.